In February 2023, three of the seven giant panda family members living at Adventure World (Shirahama, Wakayama Prefecture), Eimei, Ohhine, and Tohine, will leave for the Chengdu Giant Panda Breeding Research Base in Sichuan, China.
Yongming turned 30 years old this year. He is the father of 16 giant pandas, the mainstay of the giant panda family, and has continued to break the record for the oldest natural breeder, and has made great contributions to Japan-China joint breeding research. Sakurahama and Momohama are two sisters who turned eight years old in December. We would like to send them off to China with our sincere appreciation and respect for Yongming, and with high hopes for the future breeding of Sakurahama and Momohama.
The schedule of the departure and details of the "Welcome and Farewell Ceremony" will be announced later.

1. Giant pandas leaving for China
Yongming, 30 years old male
Sakurahama, 8 years old female
Peach beach, 8 years old female

2. Background of departure
・Yongming came to the park in 1994 and has had three females, Youbing, Meimei and Laobin, as partners. He has been a major contributor to the 28 years of Japan-China joint breeding research that has produced significant results. In accordance with the plan for the conservation of giant pandas and continued Japan-China joint breeding research, he will return to China.
　Sakurahama and Momohama, born in 2014, have reached the age of sexual maturity and will seek partners in China for future breeding.

3. Quarantine
A quarantine period will be established to check the health of the three pandas prior to their departure. The quarantine period is scheduled to last approximately one month from mid-January 2023 at the breeding center. During the quarantine period, the three animals will be shown to the public through glass. Only two pandas can be shown at a time due to quarantine space limitations. Details will be announced as soon as they are decided.

4. Profile
Yongming
Date of Birth︓1992 September 14 (age 30)
Place of Birth︓Beijing Zoo, China (arrived September 6, 1994)
Gender︓ Male 　　　　

On September 6, 1994, Yongming came to the park for the world's first joint breeding research with China, and had six offspring with the first mother panda, Meimei (female, passed away in 2008), and ten with Ryohama (female, 22 years old), who was born at Adventure World in 2000, making a total of 16 offspring. In 2014, when two more giant pandas, Sakurahama and Momohama, were born, they became the "world's oldest giant pandas bred naturally in current captivity," a record that was broken on November 22, 2020, when a baby giant panda, Fuuhin, was born. The record was broken on November 22, 2020 when a baby giant panda, Fuhin, was born.

＜Yongming's Achievements
●He succeeded in natural mating for the first time in 2001 (he was 9 years old at the time)
●He had the ability to bring a female into mating heat and became the father of 16 children born at the Park
●While the general breeding age for males is 20 years old, he successfully bred naturally at 28 years old
●In China, Yongming's semen was used to perform artificial insemination. In China, one male has been artificially inseminated with Yongming's semen, contributing to genetic diversity.
● So far, 11 offspring of Yongming have been transferred to China, and 4 have successfully bred, leaving more than 20 offspring.
●In 2011, Yongming and Umehame and Rahama were honored for their role in promoting Wakayama Prefecture throughout Japan, and together with Umehame and Rahama, were awarded the title "Wakayama Prefecture Order of Merit.
●Winning the Japan Animal Grand Prix in 2018 for his contribution to species preserva tion

Giant Panda Japan-China Joint Breeding Research Site
https://www.aws-s.com/panda_breeding_and_research

Giant Panda Japan-China Joint Breeding Research S ite https://www.aws-s.com/ panda_breeding_and_research Giant Panda Japan-China Jo int Breeding Research Site Giant Panda Japan-Chin a Joint Breeding Research Site https://www.aws-s.com/panda_breeding_and_research Giant Panda Japan-China Jo int Breeding Research Site Giant Panda Japan-China Joi nt Breeding Research Site https://www.aws-s.com/p anda_breeding_and_research Futago
Birth Date︓December 2, 2014 (8 years old)
Birth Place︓Adventure World
Gender︓ Female

Sakurahama and Momohama were the first females born in the park. They were relatively large, weighing 181g and 186g respectively, and were seen playing with each other when they were young, standing side by side, and synchronizing their movements as they ate bamboo.
As they grew up, they developed different physical characteristics: the elder "Sakurahama" had large ears and a round face, while the younger "Momohama" had smaller ears and a triangular, rice-ball-like outline. Sakurahama" has a fast-paced personality, while "Momohama" is curious and active. Sakurahama" takes the bamboo that "Momohama" is eating, and when "Momohama" climbs up and relaxes in a high tree, "Sakurahama" takes over the place, but "Momohama" does not care about it at all. Momohama has grown up to this point without any serious injuries or illnesses.